Paul's Passing Thoughts

It’s hard not to stop and think about what’s going on in Ferguson Missouri, especially if you are 50-something like me. I grew up watching American cities burn on TV due to racial unrest, and as a young boy, was perplexed that the offended were burning down their own neighborhoods. I still haven’t figured that one out. However, I have figured this out: people always do what they do, or don’t do, for a reason.

The news media has always seemed to be the experts in regard to why these things happen; these people (not politically correct) they be like, very, very, angry. This is understandable; no one refutes the prejudice that was part of our American culture, primarily in the South, for much of our history. Nevertheless, the cities I watched burn on TV as a young boy were primarily in the North where people of color have risen to prominence as far back as the Colonial era. I haven’t figured that one out either.

So, this whole thing with Ferguson is déjà vu for me. It’s a return to the exact same narrative I watched in black and white, night after night lying on the floor with my palms under my chin propping up my cranium case with perplexity swirling about inside. I am no less perplexed, but all this has me wondering.

Are white people and Jews indifferent? Even with the improvement of race relations in this country resulting in opportunity as well; i.e., our President is a man of color, a far cry from the days when the same be like, unable to vote, any vestige of the old days at all is met with the same intensity as the former days. They be like, burning stuff down and looting their neighbors. Yes, perhaps their righteous indignation is a bit misguided, but at least they are not indifferent!

Synonyms for “indifferent” are uncaring, uninterested, apathetic, unmoved, cold, insensible…Yikes! And consider the turning of the tables that has come about in recent years. According to the well documented book, White Girl Bleed A Lot, unprovoked and random black on white violence in this country is now an epidemic. Unlike the nationally televised episodes like Ferguson and the Trevon Martin case where the event evolved out of some kind of altercation, these situations be like, totally random. Recently, in nearby Dayton, Ohio, an Asian American woman was shot dead for the pure sport of it by a young man of color. Although such cases are presently viral in this country, they go virtually unreported, and the crackers (also pronounced, “cracka”) could care less. Where is the outrage? Such indifference is disgusting!

And besides being a cracka myself, I have some special experience with kikes as well. I was originally born with a Jewish name, but later adopted by a kraut (also known as “German”). I also have an older brother who was not adopted by a kraut, wetback, dago, or any other-than kike. At some point in my life, I moved to Dallas, Texas and spent time with my brother professionally and personally for 12 years. People didn’t know we were related because our last names are different, and that my friends, was an education.

My brother is the quintessential business man. His gig is building things. Certainly he has opinions, but has always been pretty indifferent to any that obscure productivity. As an observer experiencing what people said and did when their guard was down around me, I can assure you that Jews experience daily prejudice in subtle, and not so subtle experiences. An example would be the time when a Texas hick pulled a 38 revolver on us before I could say, “Whoa buddy, I ain’t the kike here, my name is ‘Dohse,’ that’s kraut!”

Never once, in the 58 years that I have known my brother, have I ever heard him complain about prejudice. Never once, in all of my relationships with Jewish people, have I heard them talk about the Holocaust. But I can tell you this: I know well what I have been spared because I have a different last name.

I think it is time that whites and Jews repent of their indifference and follow the example of the courageous people of color. We only now need to figure out the best way to take this stand. Perhaps the great leaders of the Civil Rights movement can counsel us? Surely they know; I have been watching them on TV all of my life. That would be Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

Let’s use my hometown of Xenia, Ohio as an example. Should we burn down the east side or the west side? What should we write on our signs? What should our chants be? When we say, “No justice, no peace,” how do we define “no peace,” and how does that equate to “peaceful demonstration.”  There is a print shop up the street owned by Christians that I could loot, but is that the proper protocol? They are white Christians, does that make a difference? Not being indifferent is very complicated; I wonder if Jackson and Sharpton could help us?

And this indifference is by no means limited to crackers and kikes. Ragheads, chinks, spics, beaners, pakis, chugs, city-slickers, yanks, rebs, wops, hicks, and even fat people, etc., could also repent of their unrighteous indifference to the plight of their own kind.

Al and Jesse, please help us.

paul